Japanese teahouse project for Edogawa Gardens rejected by council

Plans for Central Coast Council’s $450,000 ceremonial teahouse project at East Gosford are in tatters with the would-be cultural attraction now even bizarrely opposed by the Japanese benefactors who would bankroll it.

The Edogawa Gardens at East Gosford. Picture: NSW Travel

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It was a no-strings-attached $300,000 gift to Central Coast Council from a prestigious and mysterious Japanese benefactor.

The money was earmarked for building an authentic ceremonial teahouse at the Edogawa Gardens and in February 2018 Mayor Jane Smith crowed with delight over the “very generous offer” from the Urasenke Foundation.

But more than a year later the cultural project is dead, rejected by East Gosford locals, refused by the council’s own planners and bizarrely, opposed by the foundation itself.

A development application submitted in September 2018 described the mooted teahouse as a 6m by 7m single-storey structure, located on already cleared and vacant council-owned land to the south east of the existing tea house in Edogawa Gardens.

A map showing the proximity of Caroline Bay Reserve to Edogawa Gardens (‘Gosford Regional Gallery’) Picture: Google Maps

The building would have been fenced and incorporated into Edogawa itself.

But, problems with the tea house proposal quickly arose and by October 2018 the council sought to address issues with the $450,000 project directly with Urasenke Foundation through their project applicant Vic Durant.

After receiving no reply to their concerns for several weeks the council was eventually contacted in November and received notice from Mr Durant that all work on the project had been ordered to cease.

It was then that the council received an unexpected email from Urasenke’s John and Ryoko Freeman, expressly distancing the foundation from plans submitted by Mr Durant.

Central Coast Mayor Jane Smith praised the gift as “very generous”. Picture: Sue Graham

Chado, or a traditional tea ceremony, would have been performed in the tea house. Picture: Supplied

The email said the foundation did not approve of the “content” within Mr Durant’s application and wished to submit alternative plans in its own name.

The pair outlined objections to the proposals’ failure to adhere to the National Construction Code; to provide access for those with a disability; and to respond to issues regarding the nearby dog park at Caroline Bay.

“The Foundation considers that the landscape proposals are unsatisfactory for chado (tea ceremony) purposes,” it read.

Wendy Lim and Irina Genken demonstrate a Japanese tea drinking ceremony, at Gosford Regional Gallery, Edogawa Commemorative Garden, East Gosford.

“(It) objects to a tea house on piers, which would not be usable for its intended purpose.”

The Freemans finished their correspondence with the revelation they had told Mr Durant to withdraw the development application which had been made on their behalf.

But Mr Durant did not and the plans sat dormant until two weeks ago when the council decided to formally refuse the application.

News of the project’s demise will come as a relief to the 177 names on a petition circulated to oppose the project’s reach into Caroline Bay Reserve.

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